Flourishing programs in 80+ disciplines. A vibrant Christian mission. $50 million
in new campus construction. A 2014 Division III national championship. 95% placement
within 6 months of graduation. There’s never been a better time to consider Hope College.

As a member of the MIAA and NCAA Division III associations, Hope College sponsors
22 varsity sports for men and women. The college is home to the 2014 NCAA Division
III National Championship women’s volleyball team.

“Dance Marathon” Fundraiser Begins March 6

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For a 16th consecutive year, hundreds of Hope College students are putting their time
and talents into the campus-wide Dance Marathon fundraiser, “giving hope to kids.”

Organized by Hope students, the 24-hour event is conducted on behalf of Helen DeVos
Children’s Hospital in downtown Grand Rapids, both to raise funds and to build awareness
of the hospital’s work. It will be held at the college’s Dow Center, with the main
portion of the marathon beginning with a kickoff celebration on Friday, March 6, at
7 p.m.

A variety of events have been scheduled to punctuate the marathon, including testimonies
by families served by the hospital, various performances by student and local groups,
the “So You Hope You Can Dance” competition featuring faculty and staff, and the popular
annual lip-sync. The total raised will be announced during a celebration that will
begin at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, as the Dance Marathon’s 5 p.m. conclusion
approaches.

Members of the public are invited to observe at any point during the marathon.

Activities on behalf of the marathon began shortly after the beginning of the fall
semester and have involved more than 30 student organizations. More than 700 Hope
students will be participating in the March 6-7 Dance Marathon itself as dancers or
morale boosters or in a variety of other roles.

To emphasize the children that the marathon exists to help, the Dance Marathon’s student
organizers coordinate a variety of activities during the course of the school year
to connect with families and children served by Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. In
addition, each of the families is paired with one of the participating student groups.
Events this year included participation in a “Homecoming Hoedown” at Teusink’s Pony
Farm in Holland this past fall; a Christmas party in December; an ice-skating party
for the families and their student organizations; and a rally for the families and
the students who are part of the marathon.

Students involved with Dance Marathon have raised funds for the effort in a variety
of ways, from collecting returnable cans, to an event at Panera Bread, to a 5K run/walk
in November; to writing letters to family and friends. Among other activities, campus
groups have sponsored bake sales; students at West Ottawa High School and West Michigan
Aviation Academy have organized a six-hour mini-marathon; and J P’s Coffee & Espresso
Bar hosted a silent auction.

Affiliated with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Dance Marathon at Hope is
one of more than 150 such efforts at colleges, universities and high schools nationwide.

Dance Marathon first came to Hope in March of 2000. Though a school of the college’s
size was only expected to raise about $5,000 in its first year, the students raised
more than $23,000. In the 15 years from 2000 through 2014, Dance Marathon has raised
a total of more than $1.3 million.

In recognition of the program’s efforts, Dance Marathon received the “Youth in Philanthropy
Award” from the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals
in the fall of 2003.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is a 212-bed regional referral center and teaching
hospital. It offers advanced pediatric specialty care with more than 200 pediatric
physicians who practice in more than 50 pediatric specialties and programs. Helen
DeVos Children’s Hospital is Michigan’s largest neonatal center. More information
is available at helendevoschildrens.org.

In order to help support the vast number of ailing children that visit the hospital
each year, all proceeds from the marathon will go directly towards the funding of
special programs that are designed to make the young patients’ visits to the hospital
more bearable while also helping the families of the children to deal with their illnesses.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization dedicated
to helping children by raising funds and awareness for more than 170 children’s hospitals
throughout North America.

Additional information about Dance Marathon and the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital,
and about how to make a donation, is online at hope.edu/dancemarathon.

The Dow Center is located at 168 E. 13th St., on 13th Street at Columbia Avenue.